by Raven Steele
With most of the plates empty, and the humans drained of all blood, Korin rose from the table. “And now, let us retire to the training room where we will have the pleasure of watching Michael and Samira fight once again. We all know the fireworks that fly when that happens.”
Several vampires, the ones who knew our past, laughed. I cast them a dangerous look, anxious to get this over with. I pushed away from the table and followed everyone outside and across the lawn to a tall building. I deliberately avoided Mateo, who clearly wanted to get my attention. Probably to beg me not to fight again. Useless energy. All throughout dinner, his frown grew deeper so that by the end he was practically seething.
Good. Let him be angry. Give him a tiny taste of the anger I’d felt, so many years ago. Besides, I was in this position because of him, partly anyway. If he had left with me so long ago, we could’ve continued with our plans to destroy Korin once and for all.
Before I could walk into the large building behind the mansion, Faithe pulled me aside into the shadows. “Be careful against Michael. He doesn’t just want to fight you. He wants to shame you in front of everyone, the same way he thinks you did to him.”
I figured as much, but now that I had a moment alone with her, I didn’t want to waste it talking about Michael. I glanced around to make sure no one was listening. Knowing I didn’t have much time, I asked the most important question first. “Are you happy, Faithe? Here, in this place with Korin.”
She stared past me toward the forest beyond. Moonlight cast an eerie glow upon her face. “It’s all I know.”
My heart ached at the pain I heard in her voice. “Why did you come back?”
Her gaze shifted to me. “I didn’t have a choice. He found me.”
“How?” I had been so careful to hide her thousands of miles away, with people I trusted.
Her eyes met mine. “He killed them all.”
“Who?”
“The whole Madabbe Tribe. When Korin came for me, he killed every single person. My friends, and even those I considered family.” Her eyes grew distant. “He tortured my lover for weeks.”
I closed my eyes, understanding her now, feeling her heartbreak rip through me. Of course, she went with him. I opened my eyes and gripped her arm fiercely. “You can still go, get away from him. Please, Faithe. I will help you. Don’t let him break you like this.”
She smiled. “All those things don’t matter anymore. It’s too late for me. I am already broken, Moeder.” Mother. She said this last word with the old tenderness I remembered. “But it is not too late for you. You should run now, while you can still escape him.”
I shook my head, refusing to abandon her again.
She swallowed, then looked beyond me. “Then it is already too late. Be careful tonight.” She brushed by me and disappeared inside.
I inhaled a sharp breath and followed after her, mentally preparing myself for what I had to do. I would not let her down again.
The training room was a large open space with thirty-foot ceilings. Mats had been laid across the floor and all sorts of weapons, ropes, and chains hung on the wall. I had a suspicion this building wasn’t just used to train new vampires.
“Where do I change?” I asked Michael who was unbuttoning his shirt.
“Change? You’re going to fight in what you’re wearing.”
“No.”
“Since you’re so unhappy with your attire, I’ll be sure to try and remove it from you as we fight. Choose your weapon.”
I groaned and walked to the wall holding the swords. I grabbed what was the most familiar: two long and thin straight blades. I used the tip of one to cut the slit on my dress up higher on my hip.
Near the front of the room, Korin had lowered into a tall-backed iron chair. Naburus sat next to him, the IV pole at his side. They shared a look, then Korin returned his attention to the arena. “Begin,” he ordered.
I glanced once at Mateo before walking to the center of the room. His eyes were on me, following me everywhere I went, his arms crossed casually against his chest. But the tic of his eye gave him away.
Michael met me in the center, his shirt off, holding swords that matched my own. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
Chapter 16
We bowed to each other and just as I straightened, Michael flicked his sword forward, strategically catching a pin in my hair. My long curls cascaded down past my breasts.
“Much better,” he said.
If I was going to throw this fight, then I was at least going to do it after I sufficiently beat him down. I jabbed the sword in my right hand forward, but he blocked it. I swung again, stepping to the side around him. Just a few blows to test his skills. He met them blow for blow.
I picked up my pace, swinging low then high, twisting and turning, my feet following the fluid motions. He stumbled back, his footwork not as graceful as my own, but his skills had improved dramatically. I dodged his blade just as it came over me, but I realized a moment too late that it wasn’t me he was after. It was my sword. He knocked it from my grip. He quickly maneuvered himself between me and it.
With his two swords against my one, the fight became more even. He swung the blades one after another in a windmill motion. I stumbled backwards, avoiding their sharp edges. I spun out of the way and somersaulted back toward my other blade. He appeared there just as I reached it and slammed his foot on top of it.
I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes. Super speed was not supposed to be used during these combat sessions. “Changing the rules?”
“A lot has changed since you’ve been here.” He stabbed both blades forward at different speeds. I blocked the first one, but had to swing my shoulder out of the way of the second one. With my balance off, he dropped one of his swords and grabbed my arm. He jerked me to him, slamming my back into his hard chest while his other sword came to my throat, freezing my position. The sword in my hand dropped to the floor.
Michael turned me toward Korin and the others. I tried to squirm, but the sharp edge of the blade pierced my skin. “See how weak she is now? Even her body is softer.”
His free hand slid around my stomach and up to my breast. He squeezed it hard. A surge of dark and ancient energy rushed through me at once. He would regret not banning super speed.
My arms shot up and knocked the blade from my throat. I spun and kicked him in the chest so hard he flew back. All of this in less than a second.
He scrambled to his feet, the sword still in his hand. His nostrils flared, and his eyes burned into mine. He yelled and rushed me, but I easily stepped out of the way and swung my fist backward, catching him on the back of the head. He dropped to the ground. While he recovered, I walked casually and picked up both my swords.
As I walked back to Michael, I stared at Korin, hoping he could feel my hatred of him burning through my eyes, but Korin only tossed me a casual smile. Even though he’d ordered me to throw the fight, he was happy I was degrading Michael so thoroughly.
I let Michael crawl to his feet and grab both his swords. His chest heaved up and down as we circled each other. Confidence had left him and only fear remained. And everyone could see it.
I smiled smugly. “Want to give up?”
“Never!”
He charged me again, but this time I lightened up, meeting him blow for blow and making it appear easy. He growled in frustration, sweat glistening on his chest and matting the hair on his forehead. I flickered my sword toward his cheek so fast he hadn’t seen it coming. A cut appeared, blood filling the space. He gasped and swung wider than necessary. He was growing tired.
I continued to spar with him, adding a few more nicks to his bare chest, but when I spotted Korin whispering to Naburus, I took the hint.
Slowing up my movements, I let his blade catch my arm. I pretended the motion hurt and dropped my weapon. He elbowed me in the face, dropping me to the floor. It hurt, but nothing I couldn’t recover from quickly. Instead, I remained where I was even when he jabbed the tip of his s
word into my ribs.
“Yield,” he said.
I slowly looked up at him and bowed my head. He stared at me long and hard before turning and tossing his blades across the room. His hands lifted into the air at his victory, but anyone with a brain knew I had thrown this fight. A polite pitter-patter of applause echoed off the high ceilings.
“Well done, Michael,” Korin said, but his voice was anything but proud. “Samira, you have not proven yourself worthy to come to this place again, but maybe allowances can be made given your history with this coven. I will ponder it.”
My nostrils flared. As if I was begging him to return. The emperor without any clothes, a play for those in the coven.
His eyes darkened, and a smile crept up his face. “I am certain there are other ways you could prove your worthiness. Perhaps you could join me in my room tonight.”
Sure, if you would prefer your balls removed from their sac. I came to my feet, smoothing my dress down, and bowed, barely suppressing my rage. I knew he didn’t really want me in his room tonight, he preferred a more submissive type. And blonde hair. But it was meant to debase me, as I had debased his head of security.
While Korin asked if anyone else wanted to fight for sport, I walked to the exit, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I caught the eye of Teddy and Kristina, both looking at me sadly. I didn’t see Mateo, but I didn’t look that hard. I hated that he’d seen me in such a vulnerable state.
As soon as I hit the lawn, I lifted my dress, kicked off my shoes, and ran to the main house. I hurried up to the Summer room, my heart thundering in my chest. I threw open the door, slammed it behind me, and rested my forehead against it. My hatred for Korin filled my blood with such rage that I wanted to rush back down there and kill him. It didn’t matter that I might lose. The ancient power inside me wanted it, too. I could feel it humming just beneath my flesh, could feel it encroaching on my mind.
“Take it off.”
I spun around and sucked in a breath. Mateo was in my room. The top of his shirt was unbuttoned and his hair was a mess, as if he had been tugging his fingers through it. He did that when he was upset.
“What are you doing in here?”
“Take it off now.” He moved toward me, his chest heaving up and down. “I can’t see it on you any longer.”
I pressed back against the door, resisting the pull I felt whenever he was near. Because of adrenaline from the recent fight and the fresh blood coursing through my veins, the pull to Mateo was even stronger. I groaned, needing to stay clear-headed. “It’s just a dress.”
“It is more than that and you know it. I want it off.”
“Then you take it off me,” I snapped. “I no longer let those memories haunt me.” A lie.
Mateo crushed the space between us, his fangs drawn. His eyes glowed with fury, his hand holding the top of my dress with clenched fists. I met his stare, daring him to tear it from me.
He held my gaze, our chests tight with unspent breath as both fury and desire coursed through our veins, our emotions all mixed up from our demented night. I could not look away, did not want to look away. I needed his touch, needed him to remind me who I once was. That I could live and breathe and feel once. That, long ago, I’d lived as the humans did, with emotions and longing and love.
My whole body trembled in anticipation, waiting for him to wrench those feelings from me.
Instead, he closed his eyes, clinging to his sanity, forcing his rage to simmer. He lowered his head to my neck and inhaled deeply. I held my breath, waiting for something. I didn’t know what. My lips pressed together tightly as his hands clung to the top of the dress, pushing against my breasts. The tips pebbled. His fingers had been the last to touch me tenderly there, and they longed for his touch once again.
“Samira,” he moaned. And then he ripped my dress down the front, his lips trailing down my skin as he sank to his knees like a prince kneeling before his lover, his kisses burning fire into my skin. “You were always my anima gemella, my one true love. Why can’t we be together again, as we once were?”
“You know why, Mateo.” My voice was soft, husky, uncertain, as if… as if I, myself, wasn’t even sure anymore. As if I would not stop him if he stripped me bare and took me to the bed to make love to me the rest of the night. His long, nimble fingers traced up my body, tugging the dress to fall from my shoulders and pool at my feet.
He had seen me bare and writhing under him. He had heard all my heart’s desires and dreams.
And then he had shattered them.
And so, every time I saw him, I wore my shields before him, my hate and anger pushing him away like swords. And now, my panties and bra, a slip of lace, was still my armor, protecting my broken heart. I kept them on, when in the past I would have ripped them from my body.
And yet, in this moment, I was never more naked and vulnerable before him. Because he was stripping me bare. Not only of my clothing but of my anger for him that had festered my heart into hardened stone. With every touch, with every trace of his fingers, he sent fire through my veins into my cold heart, warming it with tenderness, melting my ice with his love.
He paused, leaning his head on my stomach, his breath heaving. I silently begged him to take me, to release me from my anger. Please, please, please, Mateo, the thought a whisper against the tip of my tongue.
His hands came to my side and squeezed gently, his fingers pressing just above my hip bone. I held back the moan that so desperately wanted to release, but I shook my head. Forcing myself out of this trance. I had to keep my wits about me. Korin or Michael could enter at any moment.
“Mateo, we must stop—”
He shook his head, keeping me from speaking as he raised his head, his eyes directly over my bellybutton, his lips so close to where I wanted him, his hot breath warming my core. I gave in to the emotions threatening to tear me into two, just like my dress, and moaned my agony. The need to have him inside me, the need to have his lips over my flesh, burning me with their touch. The agony that he had shredded my heart into pieces had taken me centuries of pain and spilling blood to get over.
“Samira,” he breathed, making me still. His tongue flicked out, sending flaming desire to the center of my thighs, teasing me.
“Please,” I begged, clinging to his shoulders, but I didn’t know if it was a plea to stop or continue.
“I can’t.”
I hissed, anger and righteous indignation filling me. “Then why are you here, Mateo?” He looked up into my eyes. “Why do you strip me bare, until my bones ache, my skin flames, and my very essence longs for you again? Will you leave me again, rending me in half with your wicked eyes and simpering smile?”
He didn’t answer, and I backed away, sliding away from his touch. “Just leave. Leave this room and never return to me.”
His face snapped to me, fire in his eyes. “You have no idea what I had to go through for you.”
“You have no idea the pain I went through because of you!” My voice was fire and rage. I wanted to storm the mansion, slice through every wicked vampire in this household, including the humans who’d given their bodies so freely to the evil that dwelled here. I caught my breath, counting down from ten, trying to control my rage. I couldn’t let it get to me, couldn’t let the darkness of the Kiss as it hissed its tempting snare take over my body. When I was done, I opened my eyes, steeling myself. My voice was soft. “Just leave. Please, Mateo.” I almost begged him. He was breaking me apart.
He stood up, fire still in his gaze. “I suffered as you will never know to keep you safe. These last centuries have been torture for me.” His eyes betrayed the truth of his pain and agony. “And despite what Michael said, I did go looking for you. Many times.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I did.” He nodded. “And I found you every time.”
“Liar.” I scowled, biting my lower lip so harshly blood dripped from it. His eyes darted to the blood and his tongue snaked out, licking his own lips. But he
did not taste me. Instead, he swallowed hard.
“I sent the Ames de la Terra after you. I knew they could help you. And when you were too much for them, I begged an old friend to take you in.”
I sucked in a breath. “Detrand.”
He nodded, his eyes still hardened. “Detrand took you in as a favor to me. And you do not wish to know what I had to do in return.”
I laughed, the noise sounding strange to my own ears. “I can only imagine.”
He scowled, looking away. Then he stepped closer and brought his finger up to my chest. He traced it in between my breasts and I sucked in a breath. He moved it over my neck to my mouth. He stared there as he spoke. “I would do anything to take that night back.” His finger traced my lips, causing me to shiver, then it moved to my cheek to trace it lightly. “I love you, Samira. I always have and always will.”
His hand clasped the back of my neck, digging his fingers into my skin as he clutched it, tugging at my hair. “I cannot take you tonight as I wish because my life is still tied to Korin. But I will find a way to break his compulsion.” His eyes were fierce, his face hard and serious. “And when I do, neither the powers of heaven, earth, nor hell will keep me from you.”
I opened my mouth, surprised, about to confess the potion that Lynx was making when someone knocked on the door. I quickly stepped back just as the door opened. Mateo blinked to the other side of the room near the window. He leaned against the wall, appearing unnerved by who stepped through.
Korin and Naburus.
Chapter 17
Korin’s gaze flashed from me to Mateo, his expression unreadable. I picked up my street clothes from off the floor to get dressed. “Can I help you?”
Naburus raised his hand in a stopping gesture. “Don’t cover up.”
